When I'm Gone
by Mags
Summary: Sequel to "Of Tragedies and Triumphs". Violet and Kevin had the perfect life...a house, three kids, and a retired firehouse dog. Until one night when something happens that turns Violet's world upside down. Now she has to deal with a moody teenager, two kids with no clue, her moody roommate and her two kids, a crazy ex-girlfriend, and a dog who misses his master.


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Coyote Ugly just the ones I make up in the story.

Title: When I'm Gone

Summary: Sequel to "Of Tragedies and Triumphs". No Character POV. Violet and Kevin had the perfect life…A house, three kids, and a retired firehouse dog. Until one night when tragedy struck, and Violet's perfect life was turned upside down. Now she's on her own with a moody teenager, two younger kids with no clue, a moody roommate and her two kids, a crazy ex-girlfriend, and a dog that misses his master. Now with an unexpected bundle of joy on its way, she must somehow keep her emotions in check and make it through life without her one true love.

Chapter One: The Night Their World Changed

Violet and Kevin's House, Hoboken, New Jersey

August 7, 2018

7 pm

Violet was in the kitchen with her nine-year-old son, Liam, doing the dishes. Her 12-year-old daughter, Riley, was working on her computer in her room, and Kevin was in the living room tickling their five-year-old daughter, Hattie. Then the phone rang.

Kevin got up and answered it.

Violet overheard the conversation and sighed. She put down the washcloth in the sink and went into the living room.

Kevin hung up the phone.

"It was Johnny, wasn't it? You have to go in?" Violet asked softly.

"Afraid so. I knew he would call tonight. It's a full moon so were extra busy. I'm sorry but it's mandatory overtime," Kevin said.

"You were supposed to be off tonight," Violet reminded him.

"I know, but there's no way he's letting me out of it. Look, we'll talk about this later. I must go. I love you, please remember that, no matter what," Kevin said as he gave her a kiss on the forehead, grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door.

"I love you, too," Violet whispered back.

August 8, 2018

2 am

Violet ended up falling asleep on the couch waiting for Kevin to get home. He said he'd be home by 2 am.

Then a knock sounded at the door.

Violet was awoken out of her dream. She went to answer the door.

When she opened it, and saw who was standing there, she knew the worst had happened.

It was the battalion chief and her Uncle John.

"Y…yes?" Violet answered weakly.

"Hey Vi, I think you need to sit down for this," her Uncle John said.

Violet did as she was told and sat down on the couch.

John and Mike, the battalion chief, sat down on the loveseat opposite her.

"Violet, you need to focus on me and not on your fingernails, please," John begged her as she stopped what she was doing.

"Okay, now that I got your attention, tonight at around 1 am, the guys were off to help the Liberty City firefighters with a five-alarm fire. On their way there a semi T-boned the ladder truck. Everyone inside the truck were killed on impact," John said.

"No…no!" Violet said sternly, shaking her head.

"Violet, Kevin and Keith were inside the truck when the semi hit them, they're…" John stopped then, tears forming in his eyes.

"No…this can't be…this can't!" Violet said now pacing the floor.

"They're gone, Vi! I'm sorry but they're gone!" John said as he put his hands on her shoulders to keep her from moving.

Violet sank down to the floor, curled up into a ball, and started to cry. Violent cries shook her to the core. John got down on the floor beside her and gave her a bear hug as he started to cry as well.

Cammie and Keith's House, Brooklyn

3 am

An hour after her Uncle John gave her that devastating news, she accompanied him and Mike to Brooklyn to tell Cammie about the accident, and Keith.

John made a call to Lil, who called Rachel, who called Zoe. Lil found a sitter for her and John's two children, Bella and Max. Rachel found someone to watch her niece, Pilar, while she was in Brooklyn.

John, Mike, and Violet got out of the car.

"Jersey!" Lil called to her. Violet turned towards the familiar voice.

"Lil!" Violet said as she hugged the older woman.

"I'm so sorry," Lil said sincerely.

"It's okay. I'm okay," Violet said as Rachel and Zoe took turns hugging her.

John knocked on the door. They heard shuffling and the lock being undone on the door.

"I know why you're here, I saw it on the news. It's about Keith and the accident, isn't it?" Cammie said before opening the door.

"I'm afraid it is, sweetheart. Can we come in?" John asked.

"Are the girls with you?" Cammie asked.

"Yes, we are, Cammie, honey. Please let us in," Rachel said as Cammie opened the door.

She saw Violet standing there and made a beeline for her. The two of them pulled each other into a fierce bear hug and started crying. Lil, Rachel, Zoe, John, and Mike joined in, crying as well.

After standing there for five minutes, John broke up the hug.

"All right, we should take this inside before the neighbors wake up," John said as they went inside.

Once inside, Cammie went into the kitchen.

"Does anybody want anything to drink?" Cammie said.

"Cammie, I'll take care of it. You go sit down next to the girls," Lil said as Cammie sat down next to Violet.

After a moment of silence, Violet spoke.

"So, what happens next?" Violet asked.

"Well, I'm waiting on the medical examiner to call to say that Kevin and Keith's bodies are at the morgue at St. Vincent's so you and Cammie can identify the bodies, then the hard part is telling the kids about their fathers," John said.

"Is Gloria with the kids, Vi?" Zoe asked.

"Yes. I called her after Uncle John broke the news and she came right over," Violet said.

"And what about your pop?" Lil asked as she handed out drinks.

"I have to call him in the morning. He goes to bed early due to the meds he's on," John said.

"I told him something bad was going to happen if he moved to Florida, but in the end, I told him to go. I shouldn't have. Why did I do that?" Violet asked as she started to cry again.

Cammie put her arm around her and held her close.

"It's not your fault, Jersey. You didn't know this was going to happen," Lil said.

Just then John's cell phone began to ring.

He went into the kitchen.

Minutes later, he came out.

"That was the medical examiner. She says Kevin and Keith's bodies are in the morgue. If you don't want to do this now, we don't have to. I can call Monica back," John said.

"No, we need to do this, right, Cammie?" Violet said.

"Yes, we must. You girls will be there with us, right?" Cammie asked.

"All the way," Lil said as they grabbed their stuff and followed John and Mike out the door.

St. Vincent's Hospital, Manhattan

4 am

When the girls, John, and Mike got to the hospital, they were met by the medical examiner and Rachel's cousin, Conner.

"Why did your lieutenant send me him?!" Monica asked sternly.

"I'm sorry, Monica, but Conner was the only one available at this hour. Plus he's Rachel's cousin. He's family," John said.

"Fine, fine. Let's go to the morgue, shall we?" Monica said as she led the way to the morgue.

"Monica, can you tell us from your perspective what happened?" John asked.

"Well, the semi was going 80 miles an hour on a city street, tried to take a sharp turn, and T-boned the ladder truck. The crew, including your two husbands, were killed ten seconds upon impact," Monica said as she opened the door. The group walked inside and shivered.

"My predictions are that they both died of fatal trauma to the brain. Their rib cages were crushed, which damaged their hearts. But it happened so fast, they didn't experience any pain," Monica said as she rolled out two metal caskets, with a sheet covering both their bodies.

"The one on the left is Mr. O'Donnell, and the one on the right is Mr. Sandford. Who wants to be the first?" Monica asked.

"Doesn't matter," Violet said.

"Start with my son first, Monica," John said as Lil held his hand and Cammie's tightly, with Violet on the other side of Cammie, holding Cammie's other hand.

Monica started from the feet up, knowing what would help them identify Keith's body.

Cammie took one look at his toes and laughed.

"That's Keith. Our daughter Savannah painted his toenails orange a few nights ago. Everyone at the firehouse called him "Twinkle Toes"," Cammie said as Violet laughed as well.

"That's right. Kevin and the others gave him such a hard time," Violet said.

"Okay, now for Mr. O'Donnell," Monica said as she started from the feet upward. Violet gulped.

"It's okay, Vi. We're right beside you," Cammie said, squeezing her hand.

Violet covered her mouth when she saw the familiar tattoo that Kevin got on their honeymoon on his left calf. It was a heart with his and Violet's names in it with their wedding date underneath them.

Cammie pulled her into a fierce bear hug as she started to cry.

The group decided to leave the two alone as Monica wheeled the bodies back into the cooler wall.


End file.
